Gone Missing by Jean Ure

doing ?”
    â€œTake her.” She thrust the baby at me. “And stop calling her it .”
    â€œIt’s what you’ve been calling her!”
    â€œOnly cos you have. But it’s not right!”
    I watched in growing apprehension as Honey bustled about the kitchen.
    â€œI’m going to go back in the other room,” I said.
    I took the baby, still crying, and sat stiffly with it in front of the television. I wondered if Honey had gone mad. I wasn’t used to her being all bossy and overbearing; she was usually so meek.
    When she came back, she was holding a bottle.
    â€œIs that milk?” I said.
    â€œNo, it’s washing-up liquid. What d’you think?” She took the baby from me and put the bottle to its mouth. Its lips closed over it, greedily. I can’t bear this, I thought. This is someone else’s baby!
    In despairing tones, I said, “I didn’t think you could give babies ordinary cows’ milk.”
    Honey stayed silent.
    â€œNot tiny babies,” I said.
    More silence. Growing desperate I said, “Did you sterilise the bottle? I’m sure you have to sterilise the bottle!”
    â€œI picked it out the rubbish bin,” said Honey. “And I told you, it’s not milk, it’s washing-up liquid.”
    Oh, God! Now she was being sarcastic.
    I said, “All right, you don’t have to come off your hinges.”
    â€œWell, but honestly! What d’you take me for? An idiot?”
    Humbly, I said I hadn’t realised she knew so much about babies. I said, “How come? Where’d you learn all this stuff?”
    â€œIt’s just something you know,” said Honey.
    It wasn’t anything I knew, and I had a sister. Not that I could really remember Kirsty as a baby, but Honey didn’t have anyone; she was an only child. I looked at her with new respect. This was a side of her I’d never seen before.
    The baby settled once it had had its bottle. Honey took it back to its crib while I went on with my channel hopping. Anxiously, as she came back, Honey said, “Have they shown us yet?”
    â€œNo, it’s too early. They might not even know we’ve gone! I can’t remember what time Mum and Dad were coming back from my Auntie’s, and your mum’s probably still in a drunken stupor.”
    Honey flushed. “She was asleep.”
    I said, “Yeah, well. Whatever.”
    Honey would never admit that her mum drank too much; she was incredibly loyal. I’m not sure I would have been, though I suppose you can’t really tell until it happens to you. Honey curled up next to me, on the sofa.
    â€œHow long do you think we’ll have to stay here?”
    â€œDunno. Until things work out, I guess.”
    â€œWork out how?”
    How would I know how? “Just…wait and see what happens.”
    â€œI thought we had a plan!”
    â€œWe had a plan for getting away. After that—”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œI don’t know. Stop keeping on! I’ve got us here, haven’t I?”
    â€œBut what about money?”
    â€œWe’ll get some!”
    Honey opened her mouth to say “How?” I knew she was going to say how. I thought, “I shall scream!”
    â€œWe’ll get jobs,” I said.
    â€œHow?” said Honey.
    Very slowly, I counted up to ten.
    â€œI could get a job,” said Honey. “I don’t think you could, at your age.”
    The cheek of it! I was far more competent than she was.
    â€œI can always pretend to be older,” I said. “I could pass for sixteen any day! You’re the one that’s likely to have difficulties…trying to buy a children’s ticket!”
    The minute I’d said it, I felt mean. After all, she was the one who’d taken care of the baby.
    â€œLook, just don’t worry,” I said. “I’ll ask Darcy. She’ll know!”
    I couldn’t ask Darcy that night